Louisiana Closes Its Primaries: What Avoyelles Voters Need to Know Before May 16

Voters in Avoyelles Parish will see a significant change when they head to the polls on May 16, 2026. Louisiana is no longer operating under the traditional jungle primary system. Instead, the state now uses a closed primary format for congressional and U.S. Senate races.

Voters should also be aware of registration deadlines. To be eligible to vote in Louisiana for this election, individuals must be registered at least 20 days prior to the election if registering through the GeauxVote Online Registration System using a Louisiana driver’s license or Louisiana special ID card, or 30 days prior to the election if registering in person or by mail.

Under the new closed primary system:

• Registered Republicans may vote only in Republican primaries.
• Registered Democrats may vote only in Democratic primaries.
• The winning Republican and Democratic candidates will then face each other in the November general election.

Voters registered as No Party must complete an affidavit at their polling place before selecting which party primary they wish to participate in.

Because several of these districts have historically leaned strongly toward one political party, political observers note that in some races, the May primary could effectively determine the likely officeholder. In districts that consistently favor Republicans or Democrats in November, the nominee of the dominant party often enters the general election as the perceived frontrunner. However, the November election will ultimately decide the seat.

United States Senator

Democratic Party

• Nicholas “Nick” Albares
• Gary Crockett
• “Jamie” Davis

Republican Party

• “Bill” Cassidy
• John Fleming
• Julia Letlow
• Mark Spencer

With multiple candidates in the Republican field, the primary is expected to draw significant attention. Political observers widely suggest that the Republican contest could narrow primarily between Julia Letlow and Bill Cassidy, though all qualified candidates will compete for the nomination.

U.S. Representative – 5th Congressional District

The 5th Congressional District includes roughly half of Avoyelles Parish and has historically leaned Republican in general elections.

Democratic Party

• Jessee Fleenor
• Larry Foy
• Lindsay “Rubia” Garcia
• Dan McKay
• Tania Nyman

A local note in this race is that Dan McKay of Bunkie is running as a Democratic candidate in the 5th District. When asked about his campaign message, McKay stated:

“My campaign will hammer Donald Trump and hammer him hard. He poses a grave danger to our democracy and my campaign is to stop him. It will be brickbats at Trump throughout my run.”

Republican Party

• Misti Cordell
• Michael Echols
• “Rick” Edmonds
• Austin Magee
• Michael Mebruer
• Blake Miguez
• Samuel “Sammy” Wyatt

Republican candidate Blake Miguez has publicly received the endorsement of the President, a factor that may influence the dynamics of the Republican primary.

U.S. Representative – 6th Congressional District

The 6th Congressional District now includes the southern portion of Avoyelles Parish. However, the district boundaries remain under legal challenge, and the United States Supreme Court is expected to rule on the legality of the current district map. Depending on that decision, the district lines could change again in future election cycles.

Democratic Party

• Cleo Fields

Republican Party

• Monique Appeaning
• Larry Davis
• Christian “Chris” Johnson
• Peter Williams

Cleo Fields is the sole Democratic candidate in the 6th District primary. He will face the eventual Republican nominee in November. Notably, several Republican candidates in this race previously ran as Democrats before qualifying under the Republican banner in this election cycle.

Voters are encouraged to verify their registration status and party affiliation well in advance of May 16 to ensure a smooth voting process under Louisiana’s new closed primary system.